a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a stationary reactor having a central combustion chamber and no moving parts. More particularly, the invention relates to a rotary motor comprising such a reactor and a fan blade cage enclosing the reactor to provide rotary power.
b) Description of the prior art
Different rotary engines having a central combustion chamber are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,152,045; 2,439,717; 2,599,209; and 4,741,154. Each of these engines comprises a combustion chamber that is rotatable around a central axis, and consequently require a plurality of swivel connections in order to connect the nonrotatable elements (such as the combustible inlet means, the spark plugs, etc..) to the rotatable combustion chamber. Moreover, the combustion chamber being usually one of the heaviest element of the combination, a greater energy is required to put it into motion and to keep the chamber in a rotary motion. Indeed, in order to enhance their rotation movement, all these engines possess means such as a stationary outward fan blade cage or nozzles to direct the outward flow. Also, rotary engines comprise multiple moving parts, and are thus subjected to wear and tear.
It has surprisingly been found, and this is the object of the present invention that the use of a stationary reactor obviates the above-mentionned disadvantages. The reactor of the invention may be used by itself as a propulsion system, or may be combined with a rotary fan blade cage, such a blade cage being set in motion by the air propulsed from the reactor, thereby inducing a rotary motion to a coxial axle provided therewith.